HomeTown Buffet
Reviews and Complaints

Southland Mall in Hayward Ca. Himetown buffet has the worst employees that have no training on sanitation! I saw 3 hispanic men washing (supposedly) dishes if thats what you wanna call it. They simply had a wet rag and wiped off leftover food and utensils and brought them back out for customers to use they had bad attitudes and was very rude I've been going to this HomeTown Buffet for about a year for this year it's been just horrible hoping and thinking that every time I went back things were to change dry food Bakery had no desserts everything was empty when asking the so-called manager whose name was Manager Mercedes she had an attitude and said they'll bring it out when they bring it out talk about customer service she has none although the cashier was very polite every time we go there she is very nice all of us

On 07/16/2017 I went to have dinner with my family at the Santa Maria location, we love the variety of food that this place has. But my experience today was absolutely horrible. The lady at the register was extremely rude to begin with. Once we got settled in our booth, I served myself some orange chicken, as I start eating it I saw hair in my food, went to the front desk and asked for a manager who did not want to tell me his name, I told him what had happened his response was "this happens all the time, I have had hair in my food so many times" I was so shocked by this. Me and my grandmother asked him if he could refund my meal because of the inconvenience and he told us we could eat somewhere else. The manager was extremely defensive and lacked of costumer service skills, he did not say sorry once! What kind of manager is that? I am extremely shocked. I'm calling corporate tomorrow.

My last 4 visits in 4 different locations have been very unsatisfactory. The quality of food ranges from mediocre to terrible. Over cooked & dry is the norm. Rarely to they keep all the trays full & available. Service is non existent usually. Floors & tables always dirty & the restrooms are disgusting. To top it off. Way too expensive. Even if it were half price it wouldn't be worth it. A lot of endless bad food is still bad food. My wife daughter & I will no longer any of your locations.

On 6/19/2017 around 3ish my husband and kids went into have a late lunch. My husband and I both got some chicken which I thought tasted good untill I got further. It was undercook . I told the server who looked at it and then stuck her fingers in the chicken pulling it apart (which I thought disgusting to do since it have been in my mouth) but then she said its just the seasoning that makes it pink. Ummm I don't think so my chicken even had the texture of being raw I understand a bit of pink whatever but it felt raw. She disagreed with me. I will never eat there again I am highly upset about it. I work with food daily at my job so I know the difference.

I went too Fairfield ca home town buffet, spent $15.00 dollars for dinner. Went to the salad bar there where no silver wear no plates. Ask managers he said he will take care of it. It took him half hour to get plats and silver ware out to salad bar. Manager was also informed about food and everything was empty. He said he could not do anything about it and his employees are all on break.

I am a regular visitor with my family at your national city location. My family has 3 non service animals with us and to obey not only your guidelines and federal, we keep them in the car which requires someone to go check on them on a regular basis, I also smoke ciggeretts, and I do pocess my medical marijuana recommendation papers. I have been getting [censor] at by several employees because they say we go in and out, which it's usually to check on the dogs, and the length of time we stay, but I'm sorry and we have 3 toddlers under 5 and they can't eat fast

Sunday may 28th 2017 myself and my family husband and 2 daughters went to hometown buffet and me and my girls went to go get an icee my 2 year old daughter slipped and has a big knot on the side of her face by her eye and a bruise
There was a lot of water by the soda fountains and an employee passed right by my daughter never said nothing and my daughter was crying so bad because she was hurting bad so I asked to speak to the manager and all he said was I'm so sorry can I get you some ice? Like really that's all we get look at my daughters face and all he gave them was a goodie bag and a kid eat free pass and I don't think that's right he didnt even make a report

On 4/16/17 around 12:30pm we went to Home Town Buffet for family lunch. When I went to take orange chicken thinking it's real chicken I was in disbelief when I took a bite. It was pork actually not orange chicken. They are mixing pork with chicken and I don't understand how they can deceive customers like this. Also, the chicken pot pies has lard in it. I felt sick to my stomach bease of my religious belief I don't eat pork. I complaint this to the server as my family didn't eat anything and left. The server just informed me that she is sorry for my experience at The Hometown Buffet. I am very disappointed and felt very upset for cheating customers like this.

The only food I had and ate was at your buffet on Monday April 10th has had me bed and bathroom bound. So today April 13th I have finally made it to the ER without ever eating anything else. I have food poison. My body is trying to fight off these toxins. Please check this location. Some cross contamination is happening. My whole family was sick. I am the last to seek help to get better. I am not a happy paying customer

My daughter and I decided as we were in the area of your El Camino Real in Santa Clara restaurant, we would have lunch there. We had not been there in years since we moved out of the area.

We left your restaurant still hungry. We immediately noticed the plates for salads were so dirty. I had to literally wipe my plate off with my jacket. The utensils were filthy, the regular plates were filthy. The carpet smelled. There were dead bugs and filth in the windowsills, there was filth on the wood portion of back of seats, sugar container with dried food, and the list goes on. I was pretty upset that I had to mention the filth on my way out to one employee and she stated there have been company cutbacks, and they have not had a dishwasher machine in three weeks! After we left, my daughter became ill and spend most of the day in restrooms. I made it home and then became very ill, with sweats, severe stomach pain, diahrea most of the night and still feel nauseated with some stomach pains. I have attached some pictures as well and I did show them to the employee so she knew what I was talking about. If I notified the health department, they would shut this hometown buffet down. I still may get in touch with them. I have attached pictures.
Sincerely
Katherine Brodeur

Yesterday March 26, I experienced a horrible service from the HTB in Bell. The manager at this location treated a man that had payed for his food horrible. After he had already payed and had his food the employees went ahead and gave him a to go tray because they thought he smelled horrible and his appearance was "offending the trademark" the managers words. Throughout the whole ordeal the man was very calm, quiet, and respectful. All he did was question why he was treated so inhumane. Which they then said customers were complaining and had no other choice but to kick him out. I asked every single customer there and none said they had a problem with him there. The manager then proceeded to call the police, which even the police thought it was ridiculous what the manager was saying. The man was able to stay, but thanks to the horrible treatment, I'm no longer going to this place. The person who attended with me posted a video on what happened last night and best believe this is probably the worst I have seen.

Not very mature for his job, has a relationship with a worker and it's hard to take someone serious when his job is taken as a joke, I feel the manager of hospitality is more better off as a general manager due to the type of service and the way she handled my inconvenience with a food item, if you guys want to make this business better and bring up this food industry the change are suppose to be made with the person responsible with the restaurant, I feel the same thing is going to happen when the supervisor (which now I know his name is uriel) is still very close and has grown an attachment at a friend with the GM! Thanks for reading p.s. hometown guest for years

I went to your restaurant here in medford, or recently and on a sunday to have lunch. When we arrived, we were told there is no lunch on sunday only dinner all day long !
What kind of crap is this? Gouging the church people who want to go out for lunch. No wonder not too many people there. Charging a higher price for lunch is just wrong!
And you drinks are now $2.50 ! What a rip off you guys have become !
Well I have some ethical problems with you gouging god's children on meals and drinks so I will not be eating there ever again !
You think you got over on me... But I have the last laugh... No more money ever ! And I will tell my friends and family not to eat there as well, but to go to your competition.
Shameful of you...
Jim

On 3-5-2017 me and my family when to Hometown Buffet for lunch and my daughter (8 yr old)slipped and fell by the food bar cause the floor was wet I let the manager know about it and he wrote a report about the accident which the supervisor witnessed and he said the ins. Would contact me well its been well over a week my daughter was a little soar the next few days after that but I'm writing this because no one never contacted me to even see if my daughter was ok which I find that to be very unprofessional he promised it would be his personal priority to make sire my daughter was ok. I thank god my daughter wasn't hurt bad but I hope in the future if something like this was to happen to someone else it hopefully gets the attention it suppose to get please contact me if any questions thank you .. Sincerely Gustavo Calvillo [protected] I hope to hear from someone soon or. [protected]@gmail.com GENERAL MGR NAME IS JORGE OROZCO

My family of 6 went in to eat dinner last night spent $78 something on what was supposed to be a nice dinner . Everyone went their own way to get their plates sat down and started eating . To find salad not tasting good all welted chicken not cooked pink inside . Waitress asked if we wanted to have them cook some more for us . We didn't want to eat anymore lost appetite. All came home sick in the stomach all night with diarrhea . I can't believe I spent so much money for that quality of food . I really want my money back !

My name is Marvin Engman, I been going to this Hometown Buffet from the day one it opened, It was always good until about a year ago, I take my Sister and Brother in Law to this Hometown Buffet in Medford Oregon four times a Week, I spend over $6, 000, I'm Sick and tired of paying this kind of Money for Junk Bad Food, Like tonight 2/27/17, I took my Sister and Brother in Law there, It cost me between 36$ to 42$ for Dinner, We been going there around Four time per Week, Now the Cost is big, Tonight, Soup was Junk, Meat was so Bloody, That can Kill people, No Corn, Just Peas, The Peas were under the Hot Light for way to many Hours, All dried out, There is many other foods that has been under the Hot Light for Hours, This food stays out, No one will eat it, By the time they Cooked the thin Steak, It was still pink in the Middle, And it was Burnt on the out side, There was NOTHING GOOD TO EAT AT ALL tonight, 42$ down the tubes, And when the MGR FOO use to be there, He ran off so many people, When it was Friday, There was Salmon, Foo would Cut such a Small piece of salmon, So I ask Foo If I could have another Piece of Salmon, his WORDS WAS, It COST $12.99 a Pound, Everyone wants More, This has been going on forever, Hometown Buffet use to be packed with people, Now I can get almost any table I want, There is so many Mad people with Hometown, We are tired of paying the price just to get Old Dog Food...

When we first drove up on Friday February 17th 2017 at approximately 5:00 p.M. we were very surprised to see very few cars in the parking lot. We usually love taking all of our grand children to our local Home Town Buffet in Modesto, Ca. However, the last several times we have been there it looks as though we were among muffins and all carbs. Oh don't get me wrong... the last several times we have been there they were serving your left over typical dried out roast beef and turkey, along with your extremely salty ham. Reasonable and cost saving for your company maybe, but for our family with the vast amount of restaurant choices in Modesto $ 84.00 with out any additional funds for drinks far to much money! I never mind paying for dinner out . I will never pay for left overs mainly consisting of carbs.Since when is an entree considered muffins? 2 trays of them no less presented in trays called " American Classics" I as well as my grand children were soooooo disappointed with your lack luster attempt to provide an array of food that was so much less than sub standard. In addition, I overheard a gentlemen claiming a title of district manager spent more time chit chatting with the employees about all of his accolades that allowed him to receive his very prestigious position. He was bragging to everyone how he did not even have a car and he made manager status. This went on the entire time we were at your restaurant. In my opinion, I believe his time would have been spent more wisely if he were to have been paying more attention to the quality and what was (not) coming out of his kitchen. How about addressing the ice cream machine in front that was not working as well as the icee machine that was not turned on until we were walking out. My grand children asked why we chose your establishment instead of Golden Corral? I have to say, I will not make this mistake again! We usually come with at least a party of 8 several times a month, but it is apparent that customer service and food quality 2 attributes that I assumed your Home Town Buffet qualities should have been based on, have truly gone by the way side ( under statement). If at all possible, I would love to have my money returned. What would that process take to get a refund please? Sincerely, Patricia Bryan

On 2/14/2017 I took my family out for dinner. My mother, who is ill wasn't feeling good enough to eat after all so I asked for a refund on her meal, and I was told that she had to get it OK'd by management. I left the receipt and took my 5 yr old to get ice cream and she wanted sprinkles. My daughter is allergic to peanut so I'm very careful. Well there was no peanuts or no peanut crumbs and no signs so I'm thinking it was oak to give her sprinkles. Well a few minutes later my daughter is crying because her tongue is swollen and she says it hurts her. So I ran to get her medicine bag and gave her benadryl immediately. I sat there and watched her closely to make sure I didn't have to give her the EPI PEN. Luckily the benadryl was enough. But she still had blotches on her face. Well I went back to get my refund and told the girl at the front desk. She called manager and I told her and she just gave me my refund from my mothers dinner that she didn't end up eating and said sorry. She didn't ask to see my ill girl or didn't say anything more. I went back to gather our things and went to the restroom, she then came to me and told me earlier in the day there was peanuts. She said she wanted to look her self and tell me so 'I WOULDN'T THINK I'M GOING CRAZY." First of all why would I think I'm crazy? I know what my daughter is allergic to and I told her she should have signs up or something because peanut allergies can be deadly. She seemed to get defensive after and said she is a mother and she knows and that she will tell corporate something. But what bothered me is she didn't ask about my daughter or even go to see how she is or if she needed anything. But what she told me and how she handled the situation I didn't appreciate it at all. This was something serious. I wasn't looking for a free meal. My daughter had bloches on her face and I almost had to get the EPI-PEN, if I had to do that then I'm sure you guys wouldn't appreciate that on your hands. If you notice there are a lot of signs that say peanut allergies or peanut free zone. I know the contamination that is involved with all you can eat buffets but there was no signs of peanut or crumbs at all or I wouldn't of sprinkled them on my ill girls ice cream. And your manager should of been a little more concerned.

I have never been to such a bad hometown buffet. Service was bad, workers were lazy. Food was empty . zero silverware . all tables were dirty which I have a video of. And not one time did they come greet us or take plates. All the workers were eating sitting down . ridiculous! Yelp is going to not be good. Oh bathroom was nasty. Workers need to smile and greet people! Not just talk to each other and eat !

Last night sunday 1/15/17 went to dinner for my husbands birthday. As we went towards the end of the restaurant, we noticed a bad odor. When I needed to use the restroom it was worse, so bad a gagged and I used the restroom only to feel I would pass out. It did not look messy but I hate to think about the unseen airborne germs. I pray no one gets sick behind this. I did ask to speak to the manager, she said had a broken line and it would be fixed monday.